UConn football names Weist offensive coordinator

Staff reports

Published 6:15 pm, Tuesday, January 22, 2013

STORRS -- T.J. Weist, a 25-year veteran of the coaching profession who most recently served as the wide receivers coach at Cincinnati, has been named the offensive coordinator at UConn, the announced on its website Tuesday. Weist will also position responsibility with the wide receivers.

Weist, who has mentored over 14 NFL receivers, was also the Bearcats recruiting coordinator for the past year. During his time with the Bearcats, Cincinnati won a total of two Big East championships.

"I am very excited to join the UConn family and be part of coach (Paul) Pasqualoni's staff," said Weist. "I have always had a high respect for the UConn football program from playing them for the past three years. One thing that has always struck me about the UConn team is that they have tough players, who are well coached and disciplined. As an opposing coach, you respect that and you know its starts with the head coach and his staff.

"I have followed Coach Pasqualoni's career and have a high respect and high regard for him. He has a great knowledge of football and a high respect for the game."

Weist, help lead the Bearcats to a 10-3 record in 2012 and a 48-34 victory over Duke in the Belk Bowl. Weist served as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator in the Belk Bowl as the Bearcats gained 554 yards of total offense on 53 plays and did not have a turnover. Cincinnati was 17 of 25 in passing for 332 yards.

Cincinnati was ranked second in the Big East in total offense at 440.23 yards per game and was first in the Big East in scoring offense at 32.31 points per game.

"T.J. will be a very valuable addition to what is already a very good coaching staff here at UConn," said Pasqualoni. "He has a tremendous amount of experience at major college football programs, which will be a great asset to us. T.J. has also had recruiting responsibilities in a number of areas of the country which are key areas for us."

In 2011, Cincinnati averaged 385 yards of total offense per game and scored an average of 33.3 points per game on the way to a Big East Conference Championship and a win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl over Vanderbilt.

In 2010, Weist coached a pair of all-Big East Conference selections in Armon Binns (first team) and D.J. Woods (second team) as the duo were the No. 1 and 2 ranked receivers in the BIG EAST in 2010.

The Bearcats were the only NCAA FBS school to have two wide receivers with 15 or more 20-yard receptions in 2010. In 2010, the Bearcats led the BIG EAST in scoring offense (27.1 ppg), total offense (417.3 ypg) and passing offense (260.7 ypg).

Weist joined the Bearcats after eight years at Western Kentucky mentoring the receivers. He also served as the team's assistant head coach (2007-09) and offensive coordinator (2003-06). As offensive coordinator in 2006, WKU ranked 23rd in the country in total offense, also finishing 17th in pass efficiency rating while posting more than 4,000 total yards for the fifth consecutive season.

Weist helped direct an offense that averaged 405.73 yards per game in 2005, while scoring more than 30 points a game. The Hilltoppers ranked in the top 30 nationally in four different categories.

Weist came to WKU from Indiana, where he served as wide receivers coach from 1997-01. While at IU, he also carried special teams responsibilities with the return units and also served as the Hoosiers' recruiting coordinator his first two years.

Weist was also was the receivers coach at Tulsa (1996), Southern Illinois (1994-95), Michigan (1990-93) and Alabama (1988-89).

The Wolverines reached four postseason bowl games during his tenure, including two Rose Bowl appearances, while the Crimson Tide appeared in a pair of postseason contests while he was on the coaching staff including the 1990 Sugar Bowl.

A native of Bay City, Mich., Weist was a wide receiver at Alabama from 1985-87, taking part in three postseason bowl games, and earned a letter as a senior. He earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1988, and then added an exercise physiology master's degree one year later.